


Shadow's Cold

by Sparky_Lurkdragon



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games)
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Common Cold, F/M, Gen, Minor Original Character(s), Pre-Relationship, Sickfic, can be read as shippy or platonic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:29:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21927478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sparky_Lurkdragon/pseuds/Sparky_Lurkdragon
Summary: Shadow's immune system encounters a novel rhinovirus. Amy fusses over him a little.
Relationships: Amy Rose & Shadow the Hedgehog, Amy Rose/Shadow the Hedgehog
Comments: 2
Kudos: 62
Collections: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Sparky Lurkdragon's Bad Things Happen Bingo





	Shadow's Cold

**Author's Note:**

> Written for my first Bad Things Happen Bingo card. The prompt was "Common Cold".

Amy looked up and down the hallway outside the breakroom. No one coming, no one going, and it was much quieter. She nodded to herself and dialled a number on her wrist phone, getting a few rings before there was an answer. 

"Shadow speaking."

"Hi, Shadow!"

He cleared his throat. "Good afternoon, Amy."

Amy frowned at her phone. Shadow sounded as calm as he usually did, but his voice also sounded rough and scratchy. "Um, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He cleared his throat again. "How are you?"

"Um, well... I'm fine, too!" She fidgeted, then decided to put it aside for a minute and just ask. "So, I called because a friend at work, Kim, is going to Central City to see her nieces tomorrow and she invited me along 'cause they're all going to go to Neon Park and I was wondering if you wanted to come, too? Since we'll be in your city!"

There were several seconds of silence, during which Amy felt a little queasy. Maybe he didn't like Neon Park, or the idea of hanging out with a stranger's kids, or, or - but she heard him sniff.

"That's probably not a great idea just now. Sorry. I'm a little ill."

"Oh!!" Amy leaned closer to her phone and almost turned on video, deciding against it at the last second. "Oh no, what's wrong? Is it serious? I know you don't get sick that often!"

A rough chuckle with a suppressed cough answered her. "No, it's just a cold." She heard him turn away from his phone to cough a couple of times. "I've put myself in quarantine in my apartment while I wait it out."

"Are you sure? You really do sound sick... um, do you have lozenges for it? Cough syrup? Lots of tissues, oh, and tea and honey, maybe some soup?"

Shadow coughed through another soft laugh. "Amy, I'm _fine_. Or I will be. This virus is just new to my immune system, that's all. Don't worry about it, and enjoy Neon."

Amy pursed her lips at her phone, then sighed. "Okay, Shadow. I guess I'd better let you go... go get some rest, okay?"

"I will. Thank you for offering, anyway. Goodbye."

"Bye!" Shadow hung up first, and Amy put her cheek against her fist for a few moments. Shadow knew his own limits, and it _was_ just a cold. On the other hand, she didn't just know he didn't get sick often: she'd never seen him get sick _at all._ And on the _third_ hand, she only had known him for about six months or so.

She sighed to herself and stepped back into the company breakroom. Kim was waiting and raised her eyebrows as Amy entered. "Well? What'd he say?"

Amy sat down across from her. "Oh... it sounded like he'd be okay with going, but he's sick with a cold."

Kim snapped her fingers. "Ah, darn it! That's no fun; I think the girls would've liked meeting him. Nothing for it, though, I guess."

"I guess not."

Her human friend tilted her head. "You're not worried, are you? I mean..." She grinned and shrugged.

"Well..." Amy couldn't help a sheepish little smile back, her ears pointing to the sides. "Not really, but yes? I'm sure he's fine, just... he doesn't get sick much, so, I wonder if he's got enough medicine and stuff around to be comfortable, you know?" Saying that made a few of her stray thoughts come together. "...Actually, Kim? Could I ask you for a favour while we're in Central City?"

Kim contemplated an apple slice as if it was a fascinating artefact. "Well... you're going to help watch the kiddos, so I guess so."

Amy stuck her tongue out at her and got a friendly laugh for her trouble. She laughed along with her friend after a moment. "Okay, so..."

***

_"...And make sure you knock instead of using the doorbell! I don't think he likes loud noises!"_

Amy, Kim mused, sure did seem to know a lot about him despite only knowing him for six months and change. Still, if she said so. She glanced at the apartment number in her notes one last time before shoving her notebook into a pocket and knocking.

Someone coughed, then called "Coming!" and coughed again. There was the sound of a blowing nose, then water running for a few seconds. She listened to approaching footsteps before the lock turned and the door opened with its inside chain still latched. Inside was a hedgehog looking up at her with his weight shifted back slightly and his eyes squinted against the hallway lights. It didn't appear he was bothering with any clothes but his socks, and despite his best efforts, the fur under his nose was a little crusty.

"Can I help you?" he asked, sounding stuffed up. 

She smiled. "Sorry to surprise you. Amy's idea." She saw his ears prick. "I'm Kim - we're friends from work."

Shadow seemed to tighten his jaw for a moment, then closed the door. She heard the chain unlatch, and he opened the door more fully. "Nice to meet you. I would shake hands, but..."

"Heh, I got it. Either way, she sent me up here so you wouldn't get her sick."

He nodded. Cold viruses were species specific: humans couldn't be infected by Mobian viruses, and Mobians didn't get human ones. 

Kim looked at the paper grocery bag tucked in one arm. "Let's see here... okay, we've got throat lozenges, tissues, I think... uh, two or three kinds of tea? Some honey, some bath salts, aaaaand these cans of soup are making this bag pretty heavy. So here you go!" She sat it down in front of him and took a pace back.

Shadow hooked two fingers on the side to peek in, quiet for a moment. Looking back up at her, he croaked, "Thank you. And thank Amy for me, as well."

She grinned. "Hey, no problem. Feel better, huh?"

He lifted the bag with an easy grace that surprised her. "I will." He paused a moment. "Take care."

Kim nodded to him and took her leave, hearing his door close as she reached the elevator. A few flights down and she was in the lobby, where Amy sprang to her feet with her ears pricked.

"How was he?"

"Ha, he did seem pretty out of it, but he said thank you. I'm sure it'll help, Ames."

Amy clasped her hands under her chin, grinning. "Thank _you!_ I know this is kind of out of your way and all!"

Kim waved it off. "It's no trouble. You can get him to sign the girls' backpacks next time, or something."

Amy laughed, and Kim grinned at her. "Let me just wash my hands," Kim said, "and we'll go pick them up!"

***

A few days later, Shadow's landline rang again. He picked it up with his usual "Shadow speaking."

It was, of course, Amy. "Hi, Shadow! Wow, you sound so much better!"

He couldn't help but chuckle. "Hello, Amy. And... thank you. I do _feel_ better, as well."

"Good! I just wanted to call and see how you were, you know. Glad to hear that nasty cold cleared up!"

"It did." The medicine and food hadn't shortened the duration, he was sure. Nothing he had read had told him that people were any closer to actual treatments for the common cold than they had been when he had been created. Bearing it out was still the order of the day.

But... the gifts _had_ made it easier _to_ bear it out.

**Author's Note:**

> Shadow never getting sick ever because his immune system is "perfect" always bothered me slightly as a concept. And I realise this is a pretty goofy thing to get hung up on in a franchise like this.
> 
> I kind of take it as "he has a well-balanced and usually bombproof immune system that will hopefully not give him a cytokine storm if he catches the wrong flu virus, but it can still get blindsided by novel infectious agents". Especially when he's fresh out of stasis and everything has had fifty years to mutate.


End file.
